


All Heart and Class

by espritneo



Series: To grow is to change and yet remain the same [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 13:19:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8892271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/espritneo/pseuds/espritneo
Summary: "See you at Worlds, Chris."Teenage Victor at the World Championships. Shenanigans and Victor skating.





	

**Author's Note:**

> In the process of doing the research for this, I was struck by the difference in technology and communication, and that’s just sort of assuming Yuri!!! on Ice is set in 2013/214 (I forget). I wanted to give Victor and Chris their version of the Shib Sibs, but, ten years prior, social media literally just starting. Camera phones were utter crap. Youtube wasn’t around, Facebook was literally just starting and restricted to universities. The Gwin Twins may be one of the rare people in this made-up world who have recorded friendly, fairy, innocent Victor for posterity. And I have so many feelings about this and this is all in my head.
> 
> Find me on [my tumblr](http://espritneo.tumblr.com).

The World Championships were held in Germany. It wasn’t Victor’s first trip to Dortmund, but you would never have known with his tendency to marvel at all the gift shop windows. He skipped-led the team out the airport and straight into his fans’ adoring screams. He grabbed Georgi’s hand and to the other skater’s horror, dove right in with arms open wide and a camera-ready smile. The other teenager glanced briefly at Yakov for help, but their coach was already in conversation.

Victor was all heart and class, treating each group with devoted attention and friendly patience. Georgi, though, learned that Victor, the airhead, didn’t actually touch anyone. And he realized that Yakov had left him with Victor on purpose.

—

At practice, Victor, deaf to Yakov’s shouts of outrage, was first to step onto the ice. He heard only his short program and he is a desert prince, shoulders held and back straight, a military officer devoted to making peace amongst the warring tribes using friendship and show of might-

Victor looked up in surprise and found himself staring at the overhead lights.

“Victor! I am so sorry,” Blonde curls appeared at the edge of his vision and he remembered that blue eyes and blonde hair meant the Swiss skater, Christophe Giacometti. A new voice chimed in, followed by two, no three, pairs of skates approaching.

“Are you alright?” A pair of look-alike Asian teenagers offered each boy a hand up. Victor recognizes them as the ice dancers from America. Twins.

Yakov already had his hands on him and Victor garbled out a cheerful affirmative around the prodding fingers. Chris apologized again but all in all, it had been a gentle tumble and Victor was fine. Still, Yakov sent him off the ice for a half hour and Victor ended up spending the rest of practice in a sulk.

—

The competition was the following day. In the morning, the rink was opened for practice by category, starting with men singles and ending with the ice dancers. Victor practiced lightly, concentrating more on his choreography than his jumps. On the ice, he was all business, but as soon as his skates touched carpet, Yakov had to roll his eyes and endure Russia’s new pride turning into a wide eyed chatterbox more interested in the inflection of his speech than in making complete sentences.

Victor drew attention everywhere he goes, so naturally, the shy klutz from yesterday’s incident ended up becoming fast friends with his idol. Before long, the American dance pair has led the boys off, camera in hand and high pitched giggling amongst all four of them and Yakov doesn’t see Victor again until the competition.

—

Victor has no concept of teenage reticence and, bronze medal in hand, treated his team to his two-day adventure with the Nguyens (“Gwin Twins” he chortled in English, explaining how the twins taught him to pronounce their last name.) The twins were performers on and off the ice, carrying around a digital video camera and enticing other skaters to put on short skits to take their minds off the pressure of competition. 

  
—-

  
These warm feelings remained on the flight back to St. Petersburg. Victor spent a happy evening getting reacquainted with Makkachin and promptly forgets his brief friendships in the Germany. Makkachin listened avidly as he excitedly recounted and demonstrated all the beautiful skating and hummed his favorite parts.

In the morning, they rose before the sun and ran 8 km. Victor was at the rink and stretching by 7 am. He breathed deeply, giddy and itching to skate.

But he didn’t rush. He took his skate guards off and stepped onto the ice. Immediately his mind went blank and focused on his skates faintly carving the ice.

As always, he asked himself, _Today, who am I?_ And the answer followed. _I am Apollo, blessed despite my birth. I love despite losing love. Here_ , Victor minded his leg as he floated into a flying sit spin _. I show my beauty. Here_ , the rink angled around him in a perfect arc, _I show my wisdom and grace_. _Here_ , Victor never forgot the curve of his arms, the shape of his fingers as he gained momentum with a series of crossovers. He launched into tight salchow. _Judge my strength_.

_Give me your time. Let me tell you my story._


End file.
